The Wolverine

June-July 2013 - Wolverine

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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to evaluating talent, Beilein noted, and there will be mistakes made both ways — not only with the less acclaimed player given a chance, but also the five-star who might not live up to lofty expectations. The 2013 class, like last year 's group, has plenty of potential and is heavy on star power with five-star shooting guard Zak Irvin (6-6, Rivals.com's No. 24 player nationally) out of Fishers (Ind.) Southeastern, Harper Woods (Mich.) Chandler Park Academy point guard Derrick Walton Jr. (6-0, No. 37 player in the country) and Whitehouse (Ohio) Anthony Wayne's Mark Donnal (6-9, No. 111 prospect nationally). They're not likely to take any more in the 2013 class, Beilein said, but they're happy with what they've got. "We couldn't be more pleased with it," he said. "This was with the idea when we got Derrick Walton that Trey Burke would be gone in two years or Tim Hardaway would be gone. "Mark Donnal, we thought we might have some attrition there as well. We lost a couple forwards who transferred, but we plugged in the right areas. That's the most important thing, to plug in positional guys because when there is attrition, whether it's to the pros or anything else, we need to replace them." Irvin's game has taken a huge leap over the last year, Rivals.com's Eric Bossi noted. He's a "versatile wing with terrific size," averaging 24.6 points and 9.0 rebounds per game as a senior and 18.8 points per game for his four-year career in earning Indiana's prestigious Mr. Basketball award. Walton is one of the toughest playmakers in the country, Bossi noted — he finished second in Mr. Basketball voting in Michigan after averaging 26.1 points, 7.0 assists and 7.3 rebounds per contest — and Donnal "gives them a big man with skill and a body on which to build." He was a second-team All-Ohio selection who averaged 18.2 points and 10.4 rebounds last season for Anthony Wayne. A four-year varsity player for the Generals, Donnal had 1,341 points and 705 rebounds in his career. All three signees, including recently reclassified 2014 shooting guard Austin Hatch, committed before the end of the summer last year. In comparison, the Wolverines have only one 2014 pledge in Florida big man Ricky Doyle at this point. "It was more surprising to have the commitments we got early from Zak and Derrick," Beilein said. "As it turned out, it was a great fit for everybody. It's all started so fast. If you look at it, it was more a national trend at the same time in 2013. Many more kids had committed than now." There were some available late in the process, too, who few wanted — Albrecht and LeVert, to name a pair — that have proven every bit as valuable to their teams. Though the program has reached new highs, Beilein plans to continue to look for those diamonds in the rough, as well, in an effort to round out the roster. ❏

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